Karenni gives in to Rangoon

Karenni gives in to Rangoon's call

Politics

Will sit at the table as a party

The Karenni leadership, in response to Rangoon's demand, has decided to enter the truce negotiations with Burma's military authorities as a party and not as a government as previously planned, according to rebel sources. 

The decision was taken at an ad hoc meeting on Saturday, 3 April, following receipt two days earlier of a faxed message by the Loikaw-based Roman Catholic bishop Sotero Hpamaw, who has been officiating as a go-between.

Accordingly, senior officials and office holders of the "Karenni Government" were instructed to "lay off" by Gen Aung Than Lay, Prime Minister of Karenni administration. Henceforth, the work would be handled by the Karenni National Progressive Party headed by Hte Bupeh. 

The Karennis however resolved to stick to their guns on the matter of the ceasefire agreement that was concluded 9 years earlier on 21 March 1995. "The truce violations by the Burma Army three months later had totally left it null and void," said the Karenni Information Ministry source. "We have to start again from scratch." 

Other Karenni leaders were not available for comments. 

Karenni, also known as Kayah, is the smallest state (4,506 square miles) in the Union of Burma, with a population of 250,000. It is bordered by Shan State in the North, Karen State in the West and South and Thailand's Maehongson province in the East. 

Under the 1947 Constitution, adopted by the Burman and non-Burman representatives, both Karenni and Shan State were given the right of secession.